


I ain't putting on a show

by LiviKate



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mostly Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 15:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15222347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiviKate/pseuds/LiviKate
Summary: Shane kisses Ryan for a video. Unfortunately, he doesn't tell Ryan that.





	I ain't putting on a show

**Author's Note:**

> First work in the fandom, a little warning for dubcon kissing, but this is mostly fluff, so please enjoy. 
> 
> Betaed by my lovely dear [ClaraLuna98 ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClaraLuna98)
> 
> Title from What I Need by the queen herself Hayley Kiyoko

Shane was at his desk, where he had been all day. His legs were beginning to ache and the hotdaga segment on his screen was still not cooperating. Ryan had left him to his editing early in the morning, to help Daysha with a few test friend meetings. Shane was really wishing he’d been able to go with. As much as he loved the hotdaga, the majority of his love for it came from Ryan’s hatred. So days like this, long animation and editing days that drug on and on, without even a Ryan to tease and harass, they felt exceptionally long.

So when he saw Mike striding through the office, flanked by a camera crew and headed straight for Ben’s desk, Shane thought his day might at least be livened up by a little bit of kidnapping. Ben saw the commotion and jumped to his feet, looking both confused and excited and scanning the oncoming team for body builders or perhaps large nets. Not seeing any did not seem to relax him at all. As Mike came closer, Shane sat up straighter in his seat to watch.

Mike walked directly into Ben’s space, grabbed him by an arm, and drug a struggling Ben into a awkward smack of lips. A barking laugh left Shane’s mouth as he saw Ben’s brows scrunch in confusion and Mike’s lips purse in an awkward and slightly misaligned kiss. It lasted for less than a second before Mike released his grip and Ben pushed him away with a stuttering laugh, wiping his hand across his mouth. Mike pumped both fists into the air.

“Best friends kiss each other!” he exclaimed, and then Keith was sticking a microphone in Ben’s face and asking him how it was. Shane took the excitement as an excuse to stretch his legs, wandering over to hear Ben complain about the scratchiness of his friend’s beard. After a short interview that ended with Mike and Ben doing a very manly and hetero bro hug, the cameras lowered and Shane sauntered up to Keith.

“It’s not enough for you to know how long all our dicks are, now you’re trying to see them, huh?” Shane joked and Keith grinned all wide and gummy.

“Almost no one submitted to that survey,” he said with a shrug. “And I’m asking guys to kiss their best friends, not whip them out and compare.”

“Hey, I submitted my dick to your survey,” Shane said with mock offense.

“Oh, so you are partly to thank for our higher-than-national-average average!” Keith exclaimed, and Shane gave a grand bow. “Then you should do this one too! Let’s go find Ryan, you guys will get us a million views alone.”

Shane tried to act surprised by the invitation.

But he’d known it was coming. And as much as he’d like to say that it was just a good excuse to take a break from editing for a while, he knew that was just what he would tell Ryan. In truth, as soon as Mike shouted the title of the video to the office at large, Shane was in.

He had sat across from Ryan since they were interns. They were a natural pair, despite a handful of years between them and the complete dichotomy of belief. They were puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together and ever since he and Sara has gracefully drifted apart, Ryan was the most important relationship in his life. Maybe even a little before he and Sara drifted apart. In fact, Ryan might have been part of that. Ryan worked hard to maintain their friendship; Shane knew that he was as important to Ryan as Ryan was to him. But that friendship was still just that. Just friends, purely platonic. And Shane was fine with that. Mostly. If that’s what he had of Ryan, that was more than enough. He’d take whatever he could get.

And today, that might even be a kiss.

“Let’s do it,” Shane said with a grin that he hoped looked devious and not desperate. Whether or not Keith noticed wasn’t important, because moments later there were cameras pointed at him and Zach was stretching comically high to hold a boom mic over his head.

“How long have you and Ryan been friends?” Keith asked.

“Four years and counting, baby,” Shane said, nodding his head in a goofy approximation of a bobble head.

“And have you ever kissed before?”

“No,” he said with a laugh. “It’s never come up. Like, his face, has never been able to reach mine,” Shane said, gesturing with his hand at how low Ryan comes up to him, exaggerating it for Keith’s laugh.

“What do you think his reaction will be?”

“Oh, god, I hope he doesn’t punch me,” Shane said rubbing his hands together. “He tends to hit first and ask questions later when he’s startled.”

“You don’t think he’ll just scream and spray you with holy water?” Steven Lim added from a few computers over, leaning back in his chair with his sneakers on his desk.

“Only if he thought Buzzfeed was haunted,” Shane tipped his head. “Which he might, he’s fucking insane.” He couldn’t keep the affectionate tone out of his voice, a softness around his eyes that he knew the camera wouldn’t see.

“Now we just need to find him,” Keith said, looking around.

“Charging in cameras blazing won’t work for the little guy,” Shane cautioned, pulling out his phone to text Daysha. “He’s too easily spooked, he needs to be surprised or he’ll run for it.”

“We can be subtle,” Keith assured him and Ben cackled from his desk.

“Keith the last thing you have ever been is subtle.”

Shane got a reply from Daysha that she had left Ryan at the coffee machine just a few moments ago.

“He’s getting coffee, we need to hurry.” Shane tried to tamper his excitement and eagerness. He hoped it played through for the camera as an evil eagerness, ready to prank his costar as opposed to lay one on his crush. He tried to ignore the curl of awkward shame at how intensely juvenile that sounded, even in his own head. But he worked at Buzzfeed; some juvenile behavior was expected, it wasn’t his fault.

He hustled his way to the kitchenette that he knew Ryan liked best, the one that stocked the keurig cups he liked. Keith was coordinating with the few helpers carrying cameras as they followed, but Shane was leaving them behind with his long strides. He should really learn to walk slower, but despite his size Ryan always seemed to be able to keep up just fine.

Turning the corner, Shane saw him at the counter, pouring sweetener into his mug. His maroon shirt was pulled snug across his shoulders as he worked and Shane couldn’t help but add an excited little skip to his step. He waved the camera crew back a little and held a finger to his lips. Sneaking up on Ryan wasn’t hard, not when he had his earbuds in. Still, Shane didn’t want Keith and the cameras to spoil this for him.

A few long strides took him around the counter top island and to Ryan’s side. He held his breath and his fingers shook with excited nervousness. He laid a hand on Ryan’s shoulder, beginning to turn him. Any doubt that this wasn’t right was wiped away by the easy smile that bloomed across Ryan’s lips as he saw him. Shane zeroed in on those lips and with a steadying hand on the curve of Ryan’s neck, Shane kissed him.

It was light. A peck, barely a press of his closed lips against Ryan’s, slightly parted in surprise. It didn’t take more than a heartbeat for Shane to take detailed note of how soft Ryan’s lips were, how warm his breath was and how strong his neck felt under his hand. Shane knew he had to pull away, he couldn’t let it linger, but it was so hard to break that gentle contact.

But he didn’t have to.

After an instant of surprise, Ryan’s hands were crawling up his chest, digging into his flannel and bringing them flush together. His gently parted lips pulled at Shane’s until he gave him a second kiss, folding further down over him. Ryan’s head tipped back at the same time that his tongue darted forward and Shane gasped into the kiss, a small sound of absolute wonder. Once their chests couldn’t get closer, Ryan reached up to thread his fingers through Shane’s hair, tilting his head, miraculously improving what was already the best kiss of his life.

Ryan eventually pulled away with a wet smack, breathing heavily against his lips, pressing their foreheads tightly together. Shane opened his eyes to see Ryan beaming at him, a breathless laugh bubbling out of his chest. Shane was powerless to do anything but smile back and dip his head in hopes of connecting their lips again.

Then a throat cleared behind them.

A light blush colored Ryan’s cheeks, and Shane watched his glowing smile from up close as he took the slightest step back.

“Sorry,” Ryan said, dragging his gaze away from where it had been locked onto Shane’s, still beaming. He turned his head to see who caught them, and his face fell.

His brilliant smile plummeted to a shocked confusion. Then his rosy cheeks blanched and Shane saw him swallow, hard. Ryan took another jerking step back, and Shane’s hands on his shoulders didn’t get a chance to hold him close.

“It’s a video,” Ryan said woodenly, looking between Shane and the dumbstruck faces behind the film equipment. “That was for a video,” he said, sounding enraged. His jaw and fists clenched and Shane had a sudden strike of fear that he actually would be decked.

“Ryan,” Shane said cautiously, reaching for him again. He shrugged him off.

“Fuck off, Shane,” he said, glaring furiously at the floor, hands clenching and unclenching, shoulders tense and angry.

“Ryan, hold on now, buddy,” Keith spoke up, and hearing someone else only fed the flames of Ryan’s anger and embarrassment. He didn’t answer. He spun around, avoiding eye contact with everyone and shoved his way out of the room.

Shane started dumbly at his back for a few moments, before his brain caught up with the hard pounding of his heart.

“You are not putting that on the internet,” he told Keith firmly before sprinting after Ryan.

He caught him halfway to their desks, a long-fingered hand lashing around his wrist. Ryan broke his hold without slowing his step in the slightest, sending Shane jerking off balance. He stumbled but rushed until he was flush with Ryan again.

“Wait a sec, Ry,” he said hurriedly.

“Go fuck yourself, Shane,” Ryan growled, stalking faster toward their desks and ripping his headphones out of his ears. “That wasn’t fucking fair.”

“Ryan, please, just gimme a second,” he said, grabbing at his shoulder, in such a similar hold as he had before the kiss, before his earth spun backwards. He was aware of eyes on them, people pulling headphones aside to see what the drama was about. Shane didn’t care.

He flung his ludicrous limb into Ryan’s path in a desperate bid to get in front of him. He nearly sent them both crashing to the ground, but he managed, catching Ryan’s shoulders in both his hands when he tried to sidestep him. He slid his hands up his neck and grabbed the sides of his head, pulling him into a kiss that was not gentle or soft, but a desperate plea.

“Please,” he said against Ryan’s snarl, his hands pushing at his chest between them. “I don’t care about the fucking video,” he insisted, holding their foreheads together like Ryan had before, This time it lacked all the sweetness, all the joy, as Ryan still tried to pull away. “Please, just fucking kiss me again.”

And Ryan did. It was clear that he was still angry, kissing him with more pressure and teeth than before, a punishment of a kiss, but Shane melted into it anyway. As soon as Shane relaxed his grip to run his fingers over Ryan’s hair, he was being shoved away by strong hands on his hipbones.

Ryan glared at him, nostrils flaring with furious breath and Shane’s brain was pinwheeling to catch up, to assimilate all this knew information. The product of his mental flailing was, of course, obnoxious.

“Pretty aggressive for a workplace, Ryan. I can’t wait to see what you’re like in private.” A choked laugh sounded from around them but Shane didn’t look, unwilling to peel his eyes off of his partner.

Ryan crossed his arms over his chest, stared hard at Shane. He took a deep breath and Shane knew without asking that he was counting in his head, doing the stress exercise that he used on location. When he got to ten, he pointed at Shane.

“Our set, now,” he said, low and angry before stalking off. Shane followed him immediately, sticking obnoxiously close to his back as Ryan slammed open doors and stomped to their sound stage.

When they got to Ghoul HQ, Ryan held the door for Shane and then slammed it shut behind him. He leaned against it and stared hard at the floor, breathing through his nose and shaking slightly. Shane wanted terribly to break the silence, but for once he listened to common sense and held his tongue.

“What. The fuck. Were you thinking?” Ryan asked jaw clenching and releasing.

“I wanted to kiss you,” Shane said simply, sitting on the edge of their desk.

“And the fucking cameras?” Ryan asked, looking up at him with hard and angry eyes.

“The video just gave me a reason,” he confessed readily. “I saw a chance and I took it. I thought it would be my only one.”

Ryan looked away again, staring at a spot over Shane’s left shoulder.

“Was it some kind of prank?” Ryan asked, shoulders hunched up defensively, ears bright red with feeling.

“Nope,” Shane popped the ‘p.’ “Not ulterior motives. I just got it bad for you, my dude.”

“Be fucking serious,” Ryan groaned, running his hands up through his hair and then down his face, pressing into his eyes.

“I am,” Shane said earnestly, closing the space between them in a few strides. Ryan jumped with Shane touched his arm, but he lowered his hand. He appeared to sag back into the door, staring at Shane searchingly.

“What do you want?” he asked, in a voice that was so small and scared, Shane has heard it in a dozen haunted houses, but never directed at him.

“I want to kiss you again.” Shane braced a hand on the door over Ryan’s shoulder, ducking their heads closer together. “And again, and again.” Ryan huffed a breath and he felt it against his lips. “Probably forever.”

This time, when Ryan kissed him, it was like the first time again. He surged up into him, chest, lips and hands as he pulled him into a worshipful kiss. Shane looped his arm around his waist, holding him close, pressing him against the door, kissing him with only the best intentions.

“I fucking hate you,” Ryan murmured against his lips before kissing over his scratchy cheek to nip at his neck.

“I don’t know, I’m pretty pleased with myself,” Shane replied, a wide grin audible in his voice. That earned him a bite hard enough to make him shudder, and then they didn’t say much for the next few minutes.

 

 

When they finally returned to their desks, Ryan’s shoulders were hunched defensively up around his ears and he was glaring at anyone who looked over at them. Luckily, Shane’s arm was slung around him and he looked so fucking giddy that their coworkers looked confused but relieved. Keith and Zach was hovering in the vicinity, in a heated discussion with Ned and Sara. They all turned to look when the boys made their reappearance.

“Don’t worry, everyone,” Shane shouted. “Ryan and I are in love.”

“Shut up, Shane,” Ryan said, cheeks burning red with embarrassment. But he didn’t correct him. Shane just kissed the top of his head and returned Keith’s enthusiastic thumbs up.

“The boys are back!”

Ryan rolled his eyes at him, but as the embarrassment faded, a smile grew across his face again. When Shane sat across from him, he felt Ryan’s feet stretch out to hook around one of his. He smiled at him and winked. Ryan flipped him off before leaning back in his chair and shouting across the office space.

“You’re deleting that footage.”

“Are you kidding?” Keith returned. “This will get a million views overnight.”

“Yeah, by me,” Shane snorted. Ryan knocked his sneaker against his shin,

“Shut up, Shane.”

“I’m keeping the video of our first kiss forever,” Shane said with a grin growing ever wider.

“Keep it and it will be the last,” Ryan snarked back. Keith waved and silently mimed sending Shane the footage. Shane couldn’t stop grinning.

When he went back to the editing he’d been working on all day, it was with a renewed energy and satisfaction. Now that he knew what kissing a mad and frustrated Ryan was like, he couldn’t wait for the next episode of Postmortem. He needed a hotdaga that would guarantee he get that nasty side of Ryan again. But based on the Jordan stroking up the side of his calf, he didn’t think it would be that hard.

He caught Ryan’s eye and blew a kiss, before getting back to work.

**Author's Note:**

> Now complete with a [sequel](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15237444) by Ghoulboyboos. It picks up right were this leaves off and I think it's pretty great. 
> 
> I will probably still do a rewrite of this story from Ryan's point of view, but please go check out their fic, it's wonderful!


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